Do you think we have to keep the commandments perfectly to have eternal life? If not, then how often do we need to keep them in order to have eternal life?
NO difficult it has a learning curve, we are influenced not to follow the commandments, we live in a world that is contrary to love ot is why it is difficult but we must do our best. God is testing us!
I thought we were saved by grace through faith, but now you are telling us we are saved by our works and our own righteousness instead? You might want to rethink what Jesus was saying there so that you don't contradict the other scriptures which say we are saved by grace through faith and not by works of the law or of righteousness.
And why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I say? (luke 6:46)
Jesus expects us to demonstrate our faith, doing good around us to put in practice this Love we know about, Not to be saved by these actions to be saved because we truly Love God and our neighbour
as for contradict scripture perhape ypu have it in reverse?
What Jesus was doing there was showing that person that no one was good, including him (that person). That person thought he could earn his salvation by doing good works and asked Jesus which "good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life". He was essentially asking Jesus how he could earn eternal life, which we know cannot be done. We cannot earn our own salvation by works.
Jesus was addressing that person's faulty perspective. He was saying that in order to obtain eternal life that way, by doing good works, He would have to obey those commandments perfectly.
But, Jesus knew that person could not do that. He was showing that person that he could not be saved that way. It's unbelievable that you think Jesus was telling him he could be saved that way. Not at all1 that would require sinless perfection! Do you not understand that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works?
Look at what was said right after that.
Matthew 19:20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
See here how the young man realized that obeying the commandments Jesus mentioned was not enough to obtain eternal life, despite what Jesus said? He knew he was still lacking something.
Matthew 19:21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus addressed the young man's faulty idea that he could earn eternal life by being good ,
and doing good works by referring to what he knew was the young man's biggest weakness.
His greed and love of material things. Jesus knew that he would not be willing to give those things up, but in order to be a Christian you have to be willing to give up everything for Him and to follow Him. That is what Jesus was teaching the young man rather than saying that he could obtain eternal life by keeping God's commandments, which is absolutely false since that would require sinless perfection.
Let’s look at the full exchange, simply and clearly, with no opinions—only what Jesus said and meant.
When the rich young man asked,
“What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16), Jesus responded first by pointing him to God as the only true source of goodness. He said,
“Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” This was not to deny His own divinity but to correct the man’s casual use of the word “good,” and to redirect him toward God’s standard.
Then Jesus clearly said:
“But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (v. 17)
The man asked which ones, and Jesus listed several from the Ten Commandments:
“You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “Honor your father and your mother,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (v. 18–19)
The young man replied,
“All these I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” (v. 20)
Jesus then answered with love and truth:
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (v. 21)
But the man went away sad because he had great possessions (v. 22).
Now, the truth in Jesus' words is simple:
Jesus
did not say that no one can keep the commandments. In fact, He said,
“If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He meant it. The young man asked sincerely, and Jesus answered sincerely. Obedience was, and still is, part of walking with God.
Jesus knew the man’s heart. Though he claimed to keep the commandments,
his love for wealth showed he hadn’t truly kept the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself”, nor had he made God his true treasure. Jesus exposed the one thing the man lacked: complete trust and surrender. That’s why Jesus said,
“If you want to be perfect…”—He was offering him the next step, to fully follow Him, which means to let go of earthly things and walk in full obedience.
So, Jesus wasn’t showing the man that salvation by obedience is impossible. He was showing that obedience must be
real, from the heart, and include surrender. The commandments aren't abolished; they’re the path of life—but only if we follow them with our whole heart, putting God first. That’s why Jesus invited him to
“come, follow Me.”
In short, Jesus’ answer was honest, not a trick. He told the truth: to enter life, keep the commandments. And to be perfect, let go of all idols—like wealth—and follow Him fully. The man turned away, not because salvation was impossible, but because he wasn’t willing to give up what stood between him and God.